1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a hand tool for use by electricians and others working with insulated wires and more specifically to a wire stripper of simple, rugged and dependable construction for efficiently stripping insulation from conductive wires. The wire stripper includes pivotally related components gripped in one hand of a person using the device with one of the components including a blade and the other component being movable toward the blade for engagement with an insulated wire positioned between the blade and the component movable toward and away from the blade. The interconnection between the components includes a hinge structure to space the components from each other to receive an insulated conductive wire or wires therebetween and including a transverse pivot axis formed by a yoke structure which spaces the two components from each other and enables the components to rock or pivot in relation to each other. In one embodiment of the invention, a depth control assembly is provided for the insulation slitting blade. Also, an adapter is provided to peripherally cut the insulation to facilitate removal thereof and an adapter is provided to closely engage single insulated wires.
2. INFORMATION DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
Removing insulation from electrically conductive wires requires considerable expenditure of time and manual dexterity by the person engaged in this activity. Various special tools have been developed to facilitate removal of insulating material from various types of wires. The following U.S. patents disclose tools of this type:
1,157,214 PA1 2,468,407 PA1 2,643,561 PA1 4,536,957 PA1 4,674,183 PA1 4,785,535
The above listed patents do not disclose the specific offset arrangement of the hinge connection, the depth adjustment, the specific construction of the blade, guide flanges and wire structure of one component of the present invention.